Red eyes looked down at them.
Big, bright.
And very unhappy.
"What, in the –rks name, is this?"
They flinched.
Something about this new bot felt unsafe.
"Is – what you've — from me? A —o—?"
"—o—? –? As if."
"Then why —?"
"It's… a mi— —."
"It better be."
Creator's grip tightened around them.
The big new bot continued look at them, raising up one servo and reached for them and—
Warning. Intruder alert. Deactivating stasis pods.
There was a massive helmache as Optimus slowly came online. The stasis pod hissed as it opened, freeing Optimus from his sleeping prison. Blinking open his optics, Optimus groaned, slowly getting out of the pod, still disoriented from his sudden awakening and how stiff his joints felt.
Intruder alert.
"We heard you the first time Teletran-1! So keep it down, will ya?!" Ratchet's shouting did nothing to help Optimus's pain. At least he knew that he wasn't the only one suffering.
"Ugh. What time is it?" Bulkhead grumbled, something that was unusual to come from the normally polite speaking Autobot.
"I don't know." Optimus shook his helm, trying to clear his sensors of the pain. Blinking his optics to focus, he made a quick check of his crew. Bulkhead was leaning against his pod, rubbing his helm, seemingly still feeling the lingering induced stasis. Prowl acted as if he was never in stasis to begin with, looking alert and wide awake. Ratchet grumbled as he headed over to the computers.
Everyone seemed to be alright. Suffering through a rude awakening, but still online none the less.
One. Two. Three… hmm? Optimus mentally counted every bot in the room, checking twice before realizing that there was a stasis pod still unopened. That… that can't be right. I only have Ratchet, Bulkhead and Prowl on my team. Who—
"Uh, Boss Bot? Who's still in the stasis pod?" Bulkhead asked, pointing at the still frozen pod.
"There should only have been four of us." Prowl noted, stepping up to the pod. "Unless there was a fifth member we haven't seen before?"
"N-No. Last I checked there was only the four of us." Optimus went closer to the pod, trying to remember who was in there. "You, me, Ratchet, and Bulkhead."
"And your little prisoner."
Helms turned to Ratchet. "… Don't tell me you really forgot." The old bot huffed, typing keys on the keyboard. "That thing that you brought with you, the one you insisted to be placed in the modified stasis pod. Nearly gave me a spark attack seeing you drag it in." Ratchet grumbled to himself.
Optimus, confused and at loss, looked at the stasis pod. It seemed to be undamaged, the glass was in place and fogged over with a thin coat of frost. But why didn't it open like the rest of the pods? Was due to the modification Ratchet had mentioned? But why? Stepping closer, Optimus placed a servo on the glass, scrapping away bits of the frost.
Who or, by the implications Ratchet was making, what could be in there? Optimus knew there was only three other bots in his crew, bots he worked with over the past nine hundred stellar cycles. Yet, here was an extra. One that didn't fit in. Removing his servo, Optimus peered into the glass.
And recoiled in shock and alarm.
"What's wrong Boss Bot?" Bulkhead asked as Prowl stepped forward, taking Prime's spot and looked, before he too recoiled. Though the ninja took it a step further and actually took out his cutting discs and pointed them threateningly at the pod. "What? What's gotten into you guys?" Bulkhead, despite trying to be gentle, shoved Prowl with enough force to send the bot falling to the ground and peeked into the hole.
It took the large bot a quarter of a breem to realize what he was looking at, and when he did, the large bot gasped, stumbling backwards with a fear ridden face, pointing at the stasis pod with a trembling servo. "I-I-I-I-I-It's that! That! That Thing! That Thing that tried to take the AllSpark!" Bulkhead exclaimed, his whole form shaking with fear as he kept pointing at the pod.
"Oh really? Well Prime, you certainly left that little detail out when you brought it in." Ratchet's gruff comment barely reached Optimus as he stared at the pod, stared at the prison, holding the one thing that every Autobot fought against for stellar cycles. The one thing he grew up hearing about but never seen with his own optics till it almost offlined him. The one thing he always thought of as a myth, but never fully dismissed it either.
"A Decepticon."
"Glad to see your observation skills haven't dulled from your nap."
"Wait. A Decepticon? Here? On the ship?" Prowl pointed at the pod, though he was notably more calm and collected, unlike Bulkhead who had yet to look away and stop shaking. "Inside this stasis pod?"
"Unfortunately." Ratchet, finally turning away from the computer, looking at them with tired optics. "Prime ordered to have that… thing locked in a stasis pod with the rest of us. And as much as I don't like it, he had the right idea."
"To let an enemy live?"
"I didn't like it either Prowl, but we couldn't just let a 'Con out and about while the ship was crashing! It could have taken the AllSpark once it woke up… besides. It's not online."
Optimus snapped his attention to the medic. "What?"
"Scanners aren't picking up any life signals from the pod." Ratchet clarified, turning back to the computer. "Can't pick up anything either. The pod's system must have malfunctioned at some point and, well." He waved a servo over at the pod. "Now there's only a husk."
Optimus looked back at the pod.
The hole that he made through the frost showed a dark, frozen body, with a clear view of the Decepticon's visor. He could faintly remember the bright scarlet red it once had, though now it was a deep, dark, lifeless grey. Somewhere in the back of Optimus's mind, he could almost feel the 'Con's dead optics staring right at him.
"Sooo… what now?" Bulkhead broke the silence, getting off the floor and looking at Prime.
"… well, I guess… we just leave it there." Optimus rubbed his helm, looking at the pod but keeping his optics off that certain spot on the glass. "Can't really do anything with a dead Decepticon. And there's no real harm letting it stay there."
Ratchet snorted. "The only good 'Con is a dead 'Con."
"But." Prowl spoke up, looking about the room. "That doesn't explain why we were forced out of stasis. So how—" Before the bot could speak further, he was interrupted by a rather loud sounding SPLAT echoing in the room.
Helms quickly whipped around, looking for the source of the sound before all optics landed on the pod. At first, Optimus thought he was looking at some odd colored oil… until he realized it was moving.
"What. Is that?" Bulkhead asked in a hushed voice, taking a step back as the odd liquid like substance dribbling down the pod's glass case.
"It appears to be… liquid?" Prowl stated, being the brave bot out of the team, took a step closer.
"Don't touch it! We don't know what that substance can do to a bot!" Ratchet's warning came a nanoklik too late as Prowl had gotten too close to the strange substance. It immediately tried to jump and latch onto the dark colored bot, though thanks to his quick reflexes, Prowl was able to dodge and leapt back from the thing.
The hum of electricity filled the room, and before Optimus could blink, the liquid substance was trapped in an electrical field, pulling it off the pod and lifted into the air where it writhed and made odd noises. "I told you to be careful!" Ratchet snapped, bring the substance over to him at an optic level and started to inspect it.
"So. This must have been what set the alarms off." Ratchet hummed.
"Yeah, but, what is it?" Bulkhead asked again as the group gathered around Ratchet. "And why is it making sounds like it's alive?"
"The better question is, where did come from?" Optimus turned his helm away from the substance, looking over at the ceiling above the pods. There was a large hole in the ceiling, exposing damaged wiring and circuitry behind the metal covering. Bits of sparking flew out of the exposed wires, cracking with awakening energy. A single spark fluttered down from the hole, falling gracelessly down onto the pod underneath it.
Right onto the pod holding the offline Decepticon.
Optimus's optics widened as he noticed the exposed wiring on the top of the pod, sending out its own sparks of electricity. He was sure the pod was undamaged just a cycle ago.
"Where ever it came from, it certainly did quite a bit of damage." Prowl walked over to the pod, looking at the ceiling and the damaged circuitry. "Even in a short amount of time, it ate through the metal down to the wiring in the pod."
"And there could be more on the ship somewhere." Ratchet growled, turning to the computers again and typing in a few keys. "Teletran-1. Do a full scan around the ship for anymore traces of this substance."
Processing Scan
Scanning
Scanning
Scanning
Traces of Substance Found
Optimus went over to Ratchet, watching as the screen flashed and showed a rather disturbing sight.
"What in the AllSpark is that?" Optimus leaned closer to the screen as it showed a rather disturbing looking creature, though certainly nothing he had ever seen before.
"Well, if I had to guess. I'd say that would be where our mysterious substance came from." Ratchet said, zooming out on the creature. "And it don't appear to be too friendly either."
"Especially to those guys." Bulkhead pointed a large digit at the screen that showed another creature that Optimus had never seen before. Compared to the first creature, they were small, but at least they didn't appear to be melting or have weird looking appendages. These creatures almost resembled them in some way, yet were more colorful and didn't appear to be metallic.
"But what are they?" Prowl asked.
A deep frown etched itself on Optimus's face as he watched the bigger creature swing out a tendril at the smaller creatures. "In trouble. We can't let that thing keep attacking." Looking at his crew. Though just awoken from their stasis, Optimus knew what they needed to do next. "If we let that thing roam about, who knows what kind of damage it could do." He took a glance at the pod. The sparks in the wiring had died down, though Optimus figured the substance would have done a lot worse if it had stayed on there for much longer.
"If you're suggesting going out there to fight that thing, you're going to stick out like a bad paint job." Ratchet huffed.
"We can't just sit here and do nothing."
"What are you going to do? Just walk on out of here and expect no one to notice a giant robot?"
"Those guys don't seem to be drawing any attention to themselves." Prowl spoke up.
Everyone turned back to the screen. Mixed in with the smaller creatures were vehicles, and for a brief moment Optimus thought that they were Autobots. But something was off. None them looked like any vehicle modes back on Cybertron.
"Autobots?"
"… I'm not so sure Prime." Ratchet pressed a few keys. "Though it won't hurt to borrow some a new set of wheels to blend in. Teletran-1, scan for suitable vehicle modes replacement."
As everyone watched the screen, Optimus glanced over his shoulder at the pod.
While the danger of having a Decepticon on the ship was no longer a threat, Optimus couldn't help but feel a little pity for the 'Con. While he may not had known it too well and may had been his enemy, he never wanted anyone to die. Taking a life was against everything he was taught to believe, even if that life belong to a Decepticon.
Hornet. A voice whispered in the back of his mind. It told you its name was Hornet.
Optimus blink, shaking his helm. He didn't need to focus on that right now. Right now, he needed to help those… whatever they were called.
…
…
…
…
…
…?
A
Aw
Aware?
Were—
Were they—
Aware?
Must be.
Had to be.
Can feel thoughts coming back.
Body felt heavy.
Don't like it.
Senses were clouded.
Mind was slow.
How long were in recharge?
Too long.
Creator warned them never to recharge for too long outside lab.
Lab was safe.
Outside was not.
Need to get up.
Creator needed to know they were online.
Try to move arms.
Nothing.
Try to move legs.
Nothing.
Spark beats faster.
Try to move arms.
Nothing.
Try to move legs.
Nothing.
Creator warned them not to panic.
Feels like good time to panic.
Try to move arms.
Feel a twitch.
Not enough.
Try to move legs.
Something shakes.
Not enough.
They growl as their mind starts to catch up.
Optics come online, replacing dark world with red.
Can see something.
Try to move forward.
Can't.
Growing more angry.
Try to move arms.
Little bit more movement.
Try to move legs.
Feel a toe twitch.
Not enough.
They feel confided, trapped, unable to move.
THEY DON'T LIKE IT.
Try to move arms.
Feel power building up in them.
Try to move legs.
Want to be out.
Want to be free!
Try to move forward.
Don't like being locked up!
Something comes into their vision.
Too angry to care.
Try to move arms.
Power is growing.
Creator warned them not to store too much power after what happened last time.
This time different though.
Build power at tips of digits and whole servo.
This time.
Hornet has reason to use them.
Let power lose.
KR-BANG!
Ratchet nearly leapt up in surprise. Whirling around, his jaw dropped at the sight. One of the pods glass lids had been blown off completely, covering the ground in tiny shards of glass and ice as smoke seeped out of the blown hole of the pod. Before he could investigate, a pair of black servos stretched out, grabbing the edges of the pod.
His spark did a flip as the servos pulled the rest of their attachments out of the damaged pod, taking two wobbly unstable steps before collapsing to their knees.
Ratchet's jaw opened and closed, but not a word or sound left his mouth. He only had a vague memory of the thing, and it was only a short brief moment before he flung himself into his own pod. Though he certainly did remember the strange appearance and dark plating that didn't belong to Prowl.
His processor was running miles a nanokliks as he stared at the thing. Hunched over, venting heavily, dripping wet, it certainly was a sight that Ratchet never thought he would ever think to see. It certainly didn't look like a normal bot, nor any other type of bot he had seen over the millions of stellar cycles.
Then the thing looked at him.
Ratchet flinched as the scarlet visor stare at him. Both bot and thing were still as they stared at each other.
Just like a switch, Ratchet swung out one of his arms, bringing forth his magnet and fired.
The thing immediately reacted, jumping out of the line of fire, hopping up onto one of the undamaged pods and jumped again, latching onto the ceiling. It hung upside down, letting out an enraged hissed at Ratchet, moving its large pair of flat appendages on its back.
Ratchet fired again, missing the creature by an inch as it jumped again, attaching itself to the side of the wall, letting out another hiss and scurried away. Ratchet growled, taking off after the thing while comming his leader.
"Prime! Remember that dead Decepticon?!"
{Can this wait Ratchet?! This isn't the best time to talk!}
He rounded a corner, catching a glimpse of dark armor disappearing down the hall. "It turns out, it wasn't dead!"
Optimus did a back flip, avoiding a tendril and swinging his axe to cut through another. "What do you mean it wasn't dead?!" He jumped to the side, avoiding getting smashed into the ground.
{Exactly as I said! It's not dead! The fraging thing burst out of the stasis pod and now it's loose in the ship!}
Jumping over a tendril, Optimus stepped back, looking up at the massive creature before him. It was certainly much bigger than when he saw it through the screen. And much harder to beat as he thought.
"So let me get this straight. You're telling me—" He jumped to the side. "—that the Decepticon—" He ducked, making a cut with his axe. "—the very same one you claimed—" He cut through a tendril. "—claimed to be offline—" He kicked Bulkhead out of the way of oncoming attack. "—is now out—" He extended the handle of his axe, jumping over a group of tendrils, twisting in the air and cutting them in half as he landed. "—of the stasis pod—" He jumped back, landing between Prowl and Bulkhead. "—and running around the ship?!"
{More like running on the walls, but yes! I need back up before this thing gets away!}
The monster swung a tendril at the group, and everyone dodged it. "We're kind of busy up here Ratchet! You're going to have to take on the 'Con by yourself!"
{But—HEY! Get away from that!} Ratchet's voice cut off as the link ended.
"Uh, Boss Bot? What did Ratchet mean when he said the Decepticon was loose?"
"Not now Bulkhead. We need to focus on the task before us before we can worry about that." Optimus jumped back, cutting the tendril that aimed for his face.
"But what about Ratchet?"
"Ratchet can take care of himself. Put some faith in him that he can deal with the 'Con quickly."
"GET DOWN RIGHT THIS INSTANT!"
Hornet growled, jumping to a different wall as the Loud One shot at him again.
Hornet didn't like this bot.
They were loud and attacked him on sight.
They would be happy to turn around and fire back, but their body was still weak from awakening and using his power to escape the prison.
Plus, Creator wouldn't be happy if they came back hurt.
Hornet leapt to the ceiling, scurrying quickly to escape the Loud One.
The Loud One was still chasing him, which Hornet found very irritating.
He hissed at the Loud One, but quickly jumped away when the Loud One fired at him again.
"Get Back Here And Fight Like A Bot!"
Hornet didn't want to fight.
He wasn't told to fight.
Only to grab… something, and get back to the ship.
Jumping into a large room, Hornet recognized it despite the upside down view, spotting the doors that the Red and Blue had used to kill Leader.
Hornet didn't want to die.
But Hornet didn't want to fight either.
With a growl, he leapt off the ceiling, flying over to the doors.
The Loud One entered the room just as Hornet pressed the button.
Not waiting for it to fully open, Hornet slipped in the opening crack, flying down the long tunnel with the Loud One not far behind him.
The Loud One shouted something, but Hornet didn't care.
He aimed one servo behind him, drawing on some of his power and shot it at the Loud One.
It hit the Loud One's leg.
Hornet was mad at himself.
He wanted to hit the Loud One in the faceplate.
But at least the Loud One stopped following him now.
Hornet chuckled as the he made it to the end, pressing the button to open the doors.
Hornet was going back to Creator.
"Prowl! Behind you!"
Optimus rushed forward, cutting the tendril that had tried to sneak up on the ninja bot from behind. He avoided another tendril that aimed for his legs, stepping back a moment.
"Ratchet! Where are those codes?!" Optimus shouted as he commed the medic. Earlier the med bot had informed him that there was a way to stop this thing, using some form of codes that could end this battle.
{It's almost done downloading into the droid!} Ratchet commed him back, but there was deep panic in his voice that caught Optimus off guard. {But that's hardly anything to worry about! The Decepticon managed to—}
A tendril slammed into Optimus's chest, sending the leader flying backwards and knocking the senses out of him.
"Boss Bot!" Bulkhead exclaimed. Or at least Optimus thought it was Bulkhead. He couldn't really focus at the moment.
Groaning, he flipped over to his front, shaking his helm to clear away the mess inside. He got up on one ped, getting ready to fight again, but was knocked over again when something burst through the water, hitting him in the chest again and knocking him back.
Optimus opened his optics.
And saw a red visor staring down at him.
Hornet was surprised.
First he woke up trapped, then he was attacked by the Loud One when he broke free.
And now he was on top the Red and Blue Leader killer!
"You!"
"You!"
The Red and Blue exclaimed the same time as him.
Hornet spotted the axe, the same weapon that killed Leader, in the Red and Blue's servos.
He had seen what the Red and Blue had done.
And he did not want that to happen to him.
Jumping off the Red and Blue, Hornet opened his wings to fly.
Only to fall to the ground.
Chirping in surprise, Hornet looked at his wings.
They looked fine.
Wet.
But fine.
Frustrated, Hornet once again jumped.
Only to get the same result.
Growling, Hornet tried to flap his wings.
They felt heavy, and slow.
Not normal.
They should be light and fast.
He should be able to fly.
He was about to jump again, but then something hit the ground before him.
Hornet flinched, looking up to see a new bot.
"And where do you think." The new bot slowly spoke, lifting his arms up and crossing them over his chest. "You're going?"
Hornet growled, lifting his wings up at full height.
"Cute. But that's not—"
Before the new bot could continue, something warped around the new bot's middle.
Hornet jumped back in alarm as the new bot was lifted up and away.
Towards something that Hornet now just realized was there.
It was big.
It was bigger than a Decepticon.
It had tendrils.
It was scary looking.
Hornet watched in shock as the new bot was pulled into the thing, disappearing in a matter of nanokliks.
And apparently it was hungry for robots.
Hornet took a step back, staring up at the thing in fear.
Hornet swore it was looking at him.
Hornet wanted to jump, to fly, but his limbs felt heavy.
He shouldn't feel heavy.
The body should give him strength!
Creator made it so—!
"Look out!"
Hornet blinked, looking down to see a tendril aiming from him and found himself being shoved.
He landed on the ground in a heap.
Blinking, he looked up.
The Red and Blue was towering over him.
"… you?"
Optimus didn't know why he reacted like that, nor did he have the time to think about it as he stood up. He turned away from the red visor staring at him, activating his comm-link. "Ratchet! The override codes!"
{Beaming them to Teletran-1 now. But these Nano-bots are so primitive, they need to be uploaded manually. And it seems to have it concentrated in one central point.} A yellow droid flew down to Optimus, ejecting the codes into a white rod which Optimus took. {Meaning, the only way to stop that thing is to download the codes inside that thing.}
"What?! How are we going to do that?!" Bulkhead said, looking up at the creature.
Optimus looked up at it as well. He could see only one entrance that would lead directly inside, but its size was certainly going to be a problem. "I don't know, but we need to download these codes inside that thing as quick as possible before Prowl's signal fades away."
"Fight?!" Optimus whirled his helm around. The Decepticon, surprisingly was still there, pointing a servo at the monster. "That?!"
Optimus glared at the 'Con. "Unless you have something helpful to say, I suggest you keep quiet and stay there."
"Red and Blue crazy! Thing ate bot! Thing going eat you!"
"Thank you for the observation." Optimus sighed.
"Uh, Boss Bot? What happens if it eats a whole ship?" Optimus's optics widened, looking over to see the creature's tendril had wrapped around a nearby ship.
"Well, let's not wait around to find out." Optimus looked down at the rod in his servos. They only had one shot at this. Glancing up, Optimus let out a battle cry and led the attack.
The Red and Blue charged at the thing.
The Big Green followed after.
Hornet thought they were both crazy.
Backing away, Hornet ducked into a building, peeking around the corner.
The Red and Blue was swinging his axe around and the Big Green was trying to hit the thing with a ball.
Hornet huffed.
Dumb Autobots.
Creator was right.
Dumb bots did do dumb things.
At least now they didn't focus on Hornet.
Hornet turned, ready to leave.
And found a small thing in his path.
Hornet flinched.
The Small Thing stared up at him.
They stared at each other.
Was it going to fight him too?
Then the Small Thing turned and ran.
Hornet's instinct kicked in.
Crouching low, Hornet bounded after the Small Thing, getting in front of it in two leaps and blocking its path.
He let out a growl, and the Small thing let out a funny squeak and ran the other direction.
He leapt after it, getting in front of it again.
Hornet kept playing around with the Small Thing, hopping in front of it and blocking its path where ever it ran.
Blocking the Small Things path once again, Hornet looked down at it.
The Small Thing was panting, breathing heavily and looked tired.
Hornet chuckled, finding it a bit amusing how Small Thing got tired easy.
Then the Small Thing ran under him.
Shocked, Hornet looked back, watching the Small Thing run out the building.
Huffing, Hornet bounded after it.
Before Hornet could catch it though, the Small Thing was suddenly grabbed by a tendril.
Hornet stopped just at the opening, watching as Small Thing screamed as it was lifted up.
His optics widened as the Small Thing was being brought closer and closer to the monster.
"It's got one of those, uh, things!"
That should not have distracted Optimus, but it did, and the leader found himself looking to see one of the organics trapped in one of the monster's tendrils, screaming and struggling to get loose. Panic flooded his mind, Optimus threw his axe at the tendril, expecting it to cut through and free the small thing.
But instead of cutting it, the axe stuck firmly to the tendril that continued to bring the organic closer to the creature.
Shock crashed down on him before he shook it off, rushing towards the tendril in hopes of saving the small creature from meeting the same fate as Prowl. He aimed his arm, ready to grapple the tendril.
But a dark blur jumped on his out stretched arm, jumping off it and grabbing onto the handle of his axe. Optimus stared in shock as the Decepticon pulled out his axe, lifting it high and bring it down hard on the tendril, cutting it through the cut he made earlier. The servered tendril began to fall, releasing the organic that quickly fell before the 'Con jumped again and grabbed them, doing a flip in the air and landing in front of Optimus.
There was silence between them as them stared at each other.
"… Red and Blue drop this." The 'Con held out his axe, which he took, still shocked and surprised by the 'Con's sudden action.
"… Thank you." The 'Con tilted its head, moving its back limbs in a flutter.
"Uh, Prime? A little help!" Optimus snapped away from the 'Con to Bulkhead. The big bot had one of his wreaking balls stuck in the monster and slowly being pulling in. Optimus moved to help, but once aging the 'Con moved faster than him.
It ran ahead, leaping into the air, holding a servo above its head before bringing it down, slicing the cable connecting Bulkhead to his wrecking ball. The large bot fall back, landing on his aft and looked at his severed servo in shock. "Uh, thanks. But did you really—"
Bulkhead turned his head and let out a startled yelp when he saw the 'Con instead of Optimus. Before anyone could react, the monster let out a roar, summoning more tendrils. Optimus vaguely heard the Decepticon hiss back, jumping into the air and hovering, its back limbs moving so fast they were a dark blur, and held out its arms.
Electricity covered its arms before blasting at the monster, which roared as the 'Con shot at it. In turn the monster swung its tendrils at it, which the 'Con dodged while still firing at it.
"Uh, is it me, or is that 'Con helping us fight the monster?"
"I… honestly don't know Bulkhead." Optimus answered truthfully. He had never heard of a Decepticon helping an Autobot before and he never thought it was possible. Yet, here he was, watching a 'Con fight the monster after saving Bulkhead and returning his axe. Looking down at his weapon, Optimus felt conflicted.
'Cons were their enemies who loved nothing more than to cause mayhem and care only for themselves. They didn't care about others or their own and would rather see an Autobot offline then help them. So.
Why did this 'Con choose to help them?
His thoughts were cut off as a shrill cry cut the air, bring Optimus to look up and watch as the Deceticon was hit in the chest, swatted out of the sky. His optics followed the 'Con's fast falling decent, crashing against a building and landing on a yellow car.
There was no time to react as Optimus was hit for the side, dropping his axe and the override codes. He heard Bulkhead shout, and then he was in the air with a tendril firmly wrapped around him.
Optimus struggled, looking for any way to get out of the monster's grip. He spotted Bulkhead in another tendril, hitting it with his remaining wrecking ball that did little damage against it.
No matter how much he struggled, Optimus couldn't get free, and soon, all he could see was white, and then.
Darkness.
"NO!" Ratchet screamed as Prime and Bulkhead were swallowed whole into the monster. He tried comming his teammates, but all that answered back was static. "No no no no nonononono!" Ratchet twisted, taking one step to go save his team or fight the thing or do something, but collapsed in pain.
He glanced down at his leg, rubbing the burn mark that was left behind as a parting gift from the 'Con. It wasn't too bad, but Primus did it sting.
"Prime! Prime!" Ratchet opened the comm-link again, hoping someone would answer him back. "Bulkhead?! Prowl?! Prime?! Anyone?!"
Static only answered him back.
"… please… anyone…" Ratchet's servos shook as the static in his link made his spark grow heavy with each passing nanoklik. The old bot stared at the ground, finding the silence deafening.
Only to be broken by a flash behind him.
Turning his head, Ratchet glanced over his shoulder to the computer. His optics widened as the monster was surrounded by a bright electrical light before it faded. The creature stood there a moment before it fell apart like metal shavings, falling harmlessly to the ground. Ratchet's spark skipped a beat when the forms of Optimus, Bulkhead, and Prowl fell along with the disintegrating remains of the beast.
Completely intact and still online. Relief flooded his circuitry… until he spotted the 'Con falling along with his team.
"WHAT?!"
Hornet is crazy.
Hornet should run.
Hornet shouldn't pick fight.
Hornet need to get back to Creator.
That was what he thought as he picked up the white thing.
He had overheard Red and Blue thing say this needed to get inside the monster to stop it.
It looked stupid.
Looking up at the monster then down at the white thing.
…
…
…
…
…
Hornet was a dumb bot.
Opening his wings, Hornet jumped and took to the air.
Pumping his wings to go fast, Hornet made his way to the monster's mouth.
Hornet…
He shut his optics tight.
Is really dumb bot.
He flew into the open mouth, jabbing the white thing into a soft inside and gave it a shock.
Optimus shouted as he fell, landing on the ground in a heavy thud.
Sitting up, he looked around in surprise, spotting Bulkhead and Prowl not too far away. He was even more surprised when the 'Con landed on top of Bulkhead, and then get hit on the back by Bulkhead's missing wrecking ball. It let out a strangled sound, going stiff before falling off the big bot and landing on its side.
Bulkhead sat up, looking at the 'Con beside him before looking at Optimus. "That was unexpected." He said slowly, taking his severed wrecking ball off the 'Con.
Optimus slowly nodded before turning his attention to Prowl. The bot was still, not moving a single servo since being freed from the monster. Walking over to him, Optimus knelt by Prowl, pulling away his battle mask. "Prowl? Prowl, are you online?"
Prowl groaned, pulling away his own battle mask and turned his head to look at Optimus. "P-Prime? What happened?"
Optimus frowned, glancing at the 'Con. "I'm… honestly not sure."
Prowl groaned, attempting to sit up but only managed a few inches before falling back. Optimus looked at his teammate and to his horror found open circuitry in Prowl chest. "Prowl!"
"What? What's wrong?" Bulkhead asked, coming beside Optimus and gasped at what he saw. "What happened to him?"
"No time to think about that Bulkhead." Optimus quickly retrieved his axe, transforming into vehicle mode. "Put Prowl on me, I'll carry him back, but gently Bulkhead."
Bulkhead nodded, carefully picking up their fallen friend and placing him on Optimus. He was about to transform but stopped, looking back at the Decepticon. "What about him?"
Optimus glanced at the 'Con, staring at it a moment.
"… Grab them too. We can't let a 'Con be loose out here."
Hornet groaned as they onlined.
Pain.
Dull.
But still.
Pain.
Shaking his helm, Hornet opened his optics.
He was back in his prison.
How?
Hornet didn't remember getting here.
The answer came quickly when the Loud One came into view.
Hornet growled but stopped when the Red and Blue came into his view as well.
Hornet stared at them as Loud One glared while Red and Blue just… looked at them.
The same look Creator had when they were in deep thought.
"Well, it looks like the 'Con's awake."
Hornet glared a little at Loud One.
"So it seems."
Hornet glared at Red and Blue too, but not as mean to him.
"Tch. I don't know how you managed to pull off that trick earlier with the false offlining, but it's not going to work on me twice." Loud One hit the prison with a servo.
Hornet went back to glaring at the Loud One.
Hornet really disliked this one.
"Easy Ratchet. Let's not try to make them mad."
Hornet looked at Red and Blue, deciding he was okay.
Soon the Big Green and the new bot came into view.
Hornet stared at all of them.
They stared back at him.
"… So." New bot finally spoke up, crossing his arms. "What are we going to do with…"
"Hornet."
Hornet looked at Red and Blue.
"They… said their name was Hornet."
"Well, at least now we can stop calling them the thing."
"Yes, but that doesn't really answer my earlier question."
"Yeah. I mean. What are we going to do with them? Communications are busted so we can't call Cybertron, so are we going to do?"
Hornet glanced at every bot before turning his focus on Red and Blue like every other bot.
Red and Blue seemed to be leader here.
Red and Blue stared at them.
"… I… guess we have no choice but to keep an optic on them. I'm not comfortable with the idea of a Decepticon running loose in the city."
"And I'm not comfortable having one on the ship."
Hornet glared harder at Loud One.
Hornet wished Loud One's helm would blow up.
"I know Ratchet. But it's the safest place we can keep him at."
The Loud One huffed and left.
Hornet kept glaring as Loud One left.
"Are you sure the stasis pod will hold them? Ratchet said that during his escape, Hornet busted the circuitry in the pods, so we can't freeze him."
Hornet looked at new bot in fear.
Freeze him?
Scary.
"We'll modify one of the larger rooms to hold him."
Red and Blue looked at Big Green.
"Bulkhead, try to find a suitable room we can modify as a makeshift prison. Preferably a sturdy room."
"You got it Boss Bot."
Big Green left.
"Do you really think leaving him on the ship is a good idea Prime?"
Red and Blue sighed.
"No. But it's the best we've got."
Scary Bot looked at Hornet.
Hornet held his breath.
"… if you say so."
Hornet sighed as Scary One went away, closing his optics and relaxed.
"… I don't know why you helped us."
Hornet opened one optic.
"Or why you didn't just run away."
Red and Blue was staring at them.
"… but, I guess I owe you my thanks. If you hadn't helped us, a lot of lives would have been lost. So… thank you."
Hornet was silent.
… Thank you?
What.
What was… thank you?
Hornet opened his mouth, wanting an answer.
"Sari! Don't climb on that!"
Hornet shut his mouth.
Red and Blue looked away from them.
Casting Hornet one more glance, Red and Blue soon left too.
Leaving Hornet alone in his prison.
…
Well.
He escaped one.
Hornet can escape again~